A utility function measures a consumer’s preference and satisfaction with different goods or services. As part of rational choice theory, it helps economists analyze how consumers make decisions to ...

William Baumol writes in "Economics: Principles and Policy" that the total monetary utility of a collection of goods to a consumer is equal to the largest amount of money the consumer will pay in ...

Marginal utility helps set product pricing; high initial satisfaction decreases with more units. Some stores use bulk pricing when consumers value additional items less. Progressive taxes assume each ...